7 mins: Switzerland threaten for the first time, Drmic fouled near the corner flag but nothing comes from Inler’s speculative effort.

5:10PM
· 1 JUL 14

Cheeky:

http://vine.co/v/MFV31wjUY7a

5:13PM
· 1 JUL 14

11 mins: We’re still in the early stages but Argentina look to be targeting the left wing with both Xhaka and Lichtseiner now having given away frees for fouls on Di Maria in that area.

5:16PM
· 1 JUL 14

15 mins: Zabaleta floats in a nice ball from the right after some poor defending by the Swiss. Benaglio gathers easily though.

5:20PM
· 1 JUL 14

18 mins: This performance has been standard Argentina so far. Very little in the way of quality and just waiting for Messi to do his thing. He almost broke through there but Rodriguez did well to snuff out the threat.

5:23PM
· 1 JUL 14

22 mins: Switzerland definitely adopting a rope-a-dope tactic. They’ve been very unwilling to commit too many men forward so far, even from set pieces.

5:25PM
· 1 JUL 14

24 mins: A Messi free-kick is flicked on by Higuain but it goes harmlessly over.

5:28PM
· 1 JUL 14

26 mins – CHANCE! Switzerland win their first corner after good work by Shaqiri down the right. The set piece is a good one and leads to another which the Swiss take quickly.

The ball works its way to Xhaka whose shot is well saved by Romero.

This is a good spell from the Swiss.

5:29PM
· 1 JUL 14

28 mins – CHANCE! Now this game is a bit better. Switzerland fail to deal with a routine ball and the chance falls to Lavezzi but his effort is tame from six yards out.

5:30PM
· 1 JUL 14

29 mins – CHANCE! Another golden opportunity for the South Americans but nobody can get on the end of Di Maria’s superb corner.

5:33PM
· 1 JUL 14

31 mins: Di Maria has moved over to the right and is causing a lot of trouble for Switzerland. So much for the accusations of Argentina being a one man team. The Real Madrid man has been their best player in the opening half hour.

5:35PM
· 1 JUL 14

34 mins: Lavezzi gives away a soft free-kick and Romero has to get a strong hand to it with the Swiss lurking.

5:36PM
· 1 JUL 14

35 mins – Yellow Card: Lavezzi is upended by Xhaka and picks up the game’s first booking.

5:40PM
· 1 JUL 14

38 mins – GREAT CHANCE! Drmic is clean through on goals with only Romero – who bizarrely didn’t move off his line – to beat and, instead of putting his foot through it, he tried to be too clever and chipped the ball straight into the Argentine goalkeepers grateful hands.

5:41PM
· 1 JUL 14

40 mins: Di Maria with another half chance for Argentina but his effort is tame.

44 mins: Fluffed one on one effort aside, Drmic has been good for Switzerland and has won his side another corner.

5:46PM
· 1 JUL 14

HALF-TIME -

And just as everyone – okay, just me – predicted, it’s the Swiss who are on top and who have created the better chances in this one.

6:00PM
· 1 JUL 14

We’ve had our half-time oranges, okay, curry and the second half is about to get under way.

6:01PM
· 1 JUL 14

Kick-off: Switzerland get the second half started.

6:03PM
· 1 JUL 14

46 mins: Djourou deals well with a Lavezzi cross. Composed defending.

6:05PM
· 1 JUL 14

47 mins: Messi floats in another free kick but it’s well cleared. On the counter-attack, Mascherano gives away a free of his own.

6:06PM
· 1 JUL 14

49 mins – CHANCE! Shaqiri’s free kick causes Romero much more trouble than it should have but the ‘keeper eventually deals with it.

Switzerland start the second half well.

6:08PM
· 1 JUL 14

52 mins: Rodriguez strikes one from back in Switzerland that goes as wide as you’d expect.

6:11PM
· 1 JUL 14

Looking back at our scoreline predictions pre-game, I think I can speak for everyone in TheScore.ie office when I say we were wildly optimistic.

6:13PM
· 1 JUL 14

56 mins: More than a hint of confusion in the Swiss area but Rodriguez blocks Di Maria’s effort and they eventually clear.

6:14PM
· 1 JUL 14

58 mins – CHANCE! Rojo almost opens the scoring as Bengalio looked to be going the wrong way but the Swiss ‘keeper sorted himself out and saved.

6:18PM
· 1 JUL 14

61 mins – GREAT CHANCE! Brilliant save from Benaglio denies Higuain after a fantastic header. That’s the South American’s best chance of the game.

Argentina growing into the game.

6:20PM
· 1 JUL 14

63 mins: I said it in the first half and I’ll say it again. Argentina have their most success down the left. Anything good they produce is coming from that side.

6:21PM
· 1 JUL 14

65 mins – Substitution: Fernandes is on for Xhaka as Switzerland make their first chance.

6:23PM
· 1 JUL 14

67 mins: Messi picks up the ball on the half-volley at the edge of the area but his shot goes just over. The goalkeeper looked to have it covered but still a decent chance for the Barcelona midfielder.

6:25PM
· 1 JUL 14

68 mins: Drmic penalised for pulling on Rojo when he’d have been better trying to win the ball.

6:27PM
· 1 JUL 14

Here’s that Messi chance from a few minutes ago:

http://t.co/sWGGbFC7Vg

6:30PM
· 1 JUL 14

73 mins – Yellow card: Fernandes, only on the field a matter of minutes, picks up Switzerland’s second booking.

Substitution: Palacio replaces the increasingly ineffectual Lavezzi

6:31PM
· 1 JUL 14

74 mins: Palacio takes a clear header off his team-mate Higuain. He really should have left it to the Napoli striker.

6:32PM
· 1 JUL 14

75 mins: More holes starting to open in the Swiss defence. You can write your own jokes.

6:35PM
· 1 JUL 14

77 mins – CHANCE! Messi finishes off a great run with a cracking effort that Benaglio can’t hold on to. Palacio seems to clatter the keeper on the follow up but there’s no free kick to the Swiss player.

6:35PM
· 1 JUL 14

This game is beginning to have late Lionel Messi winner written all over it.

ET 13 mins: Switzerland definitely growing into the game without actually creating anything in the way of a clear cut opportunity. Even Messi is back defending for Argentina though. Johnny Giles will be happy.

GOAL – (ET 28′) Di Maria! We’ve been robbed. After enduring 118 minutes of this, Argentina have gone and ruined the joy of a penalty shootout but Lionel Messi had to go on one of those solo runs of his before setting up Angel Di Maria who looks to have sent Argentina into the quarter-finals.

7:32PM
· 1 JUL 14

ET 30 + 1 – GREAT CHANCE! Switzerland miss a glorious chance. Dzemali’s header rattles off the bar from five yards. The rebound hits his knee and goes wide.

Had to score!

Here’s Di Maria’s goal to make up for it.

http://vine.co/v/MF3agKvqO2E

7:36PM
· 1 JUL 14

FULL-TIME -

It’s all over. Argentina are through but this is how close Switzerland came to brining us penalties:

http://vine.co/v/MF3WtAbJd77

7:39PM
· 1 JUL 14

Well that’s it from me. Can’t help but feel we’ve been cheated of the drama of penalties – and probably Argentina going through anyway – but Messi was always going to be involved in any winner.

How much longer can they continue to heap all that pressure on their number 10′s shoulders though?

Thanks as always for joining us. We’ll have full coverage of USA starting shortly.

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